Nervous Stomach?

Acid indigestion. Clenching in the gut. Nausea. Loss of appetite.

My husband calls it the "high stress" diet. His friend lost more than thirty pounds while going through an ugly divorce. Selling our house has been similar, although I can't claim anything close to that kind of weight loss. I can attest to an upset stomach, though.

When life hurls stress your way, how do you manage to eat? Should you eat? What are the best things to eat?

I'm usually a big promoter of "listening to your body." My students have heard me say this at least a gazillion times. If you're nauseous and your body is telling you not to put anything in your stomach, you can stick with water, bone broth, weak tea, chamomile tea, kombucha, or any liquids you think will stay down. A day of fasting will not hurt. (This applies to adults who are normally healthy and not anorexic!) If this goes on for longer than a day or two, you might want to check with a doctor to make sure nothing more serious is going on. (I am not a doctor. I do not even play one on TV. If you need medical attention, please see an actual doctor!)

When the thought of solid food is just too much to contemplate, a smoothie or a shake could be the answer. Bananas are very gentle on the stomach and easy to digest. Frozen bananas make great smoothies! Applesauce is another easy-to-digest food that can go into a smoothie to make it thicker. If you digest dairy well, whole milk yogurt or kefir will add some protein and fat to your smoothie, along with good bacteria to help your gut. Throw in some hemp seeds for added magnesium and chia seeds for protein and fiber. If you choose to add protein powder to your smoothie, a high quality one made from whey is your best bet.

White rice is another easy-on-the-gut staple. You can add rice to your bone broth, make rice pudding or porridge, or throw some cooked rice into your smoothie. Rice adds calories and carbs without adding much nutrition, but if it's the only thing you can stomach, it might be better than nothing.

What to avoid?

When you are stressed out and dealing with a nervous stomach, you might want to cut way back on caffeine. I am down to one cup of coffee per day, and no black tea or extra caffeine in the afternoon. Coffee and tea are both acidic, and will tend to exacerbate nervous symptoms. Choose herbal teas that are more soothing instead. You might think alcohol will help, but this can backfire and increase both anxiety and depression. It's best to go easy on the alcohol when you're stressed.

Foods that are difficult to digest and tend to cause gut problems include corn, soy, eggs, gluten, nightshade plants, and anything high in acids--citrus, vinegar, etc. For some people, dairy is also a problem. Stick to foods you know your system can handle well.

And if your nervous stomach is getting in the way of your life, preventing you from working or sleeping, please get professional help. Remember you are not alone! Anxiety is extremely common and can be addressed with medication, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and many other techniques. There is no need to suffer in silence.